Spectrum
by EllaColette
Summary: Hikaru's fate had been chosen long before her birth. To put an end to the decade long feud between the Tottori and Uchiha clans, Hikaru and Itachi have been selected to unite the clans once and for all through holy matrimony. So where exactly does Kirameki, Hikaru's hot-tongued younger sister, come in? Only time will tell. (ItachixOC)
1. Chapter 1

Her name was Kirameki, although she preferred to simply be called, _"Kira."_ Her name meant _"glitter,"_ and as she trudged down the clay road, the blistering heat reflecting off her golden skin made the title seem fit. She made a low, grumbling sound in the back of her throat as she—for the umpteenth time—swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, flicking away the perspiration that was slowly trailing into her brows and eyes.

"Hikaru, would you _please_ lend your sister your handkerchief before she ruins her dress with sweat?" Saika would be damned if she showed up to the Uchiha compound looking anything less than poised and immaculate as to be expected of the head family of the Tottori clan.

Hikaru scoffed, begrudgingly reaching into the inner breast of her blouse where she drew out the cloth and reluctantly handed it over to her younger sister. "I don't see what the matter is," the elder said, falling in step between her mother and father. "After all," she gave a cheshire grin to her sister, drawing a scowl from the six year old, "I _am_ the more important one."

"Hikaru…" Kazuko warned lowly yet uninterestedly. He was in no mood to break up a confrontation between his daughters, especially within such close proximity of their previously rival clan. Such a scene would only result in proud sneers from the Uchihas and shame to the Tottoris.

Hikaru shrugged. "Alright, alright, father," she said though the challenge still remained alight in her eyes. "I'm sure Kirameki already knows of _my_ significance to the clan and her _lack_ of."

One last jab. That's all it took to send the younger Tottori over the edge, her emotions flailing about quite as unruly as the wine-colored locks upon her head. Her mother instinctively made a reach for her, restraining the heated child yet incapable of holding back the onslaught sure to fall from her lips.

"What do you know, Hika?!" Saika eagerly attempted to get control of her child to no avail. Kira grinned naughtily, jerked away from her sister who was, in turn, being restrained by their father. "You're just a stupid chihuahua, always yapping about nothing you know about!"

Around the time Kira spat out "_chihuahua_," Kazuko guessed, was about the same time the door before them slid open to reveal a rather flustered Uchiha Mikoto and her eldest son, Itachi. Kazuko inwardly sighed, expecting nothing less of a spectacle to come from his eccentric family. Of all Tottori clan's leaders, he always pondered why the gods bestowed him with such horrible luck: a wife with temper issues (_that seemed to be genetic_), two feisty daughters (_when he had asked for sons),_ and he with neither the will nor patience to even attempt to control the unit he called a "_family_."

Saika relinquished her grip on Kira, choosing to all but crush her daughter's hand in an unpleasant laced-finger clutch. Kazuko had also freed Hikaru who refused to waste the opportunity of redeeming her family's honor.

In a sickeningly sweet way, Hikaru bowed lowly and asked, "Uchiha-san, won't you please forgive my sister's ill manners? She is young, although that is no excuse, yet that is the only reason I can think that she may have acted in such a disrespectful way. Please do not hold my clan's image according to that you have perceived from Kirameki's vulgarity."

Mikoto chuckled, the sound akin to bells, and held the door open further. She smiled and motioned for the family to enter, addressing to the parents cheerily, "_children will be children!_"

Saika made sure to jerk Kira a bit so that she stumbled over the mantle into the house. The young Tottori made brief eye contact with her mother, whose demeanor only warned her of further punishment should she step out of line again. She huffed lightly and stepped out of her shoes before becoming aware of a hard stare she couldn't deny was directed towards her.

From the moment Kira had clambered in, Itachi's eyes had locked onto her with a slightly indifferent look the girl couldn't quite discern. It was almost a look of distaste that made the girl's nose scrunch up in wonder before glancing away.

Mikoto turned to her son. "Itachi, why don't you show the girls around while we wait for your father? I'm sure they'd like to see the compound."

Hikaru beamed, clasping her hands before her in a joyful manner. "Oh, yes, please do!"

Itachi's gaze was removed from Kira briefly as he glanced towards the other sister. He closed his eyes, seemingly troubled, and flatly breathed a, "_no_," before turning into the hall and heading presumably towards his room.

The Tottori girls stood in disbelief and Kazuko could do nothing more but sigh, yet again mentally cursing his luck. Mikoto was quick to apologize on Itachi's behalf, explaining that the boy had a mission that day and must've been quite tired. The comment peaked Kazuko's interest, leading the parents into conversation over tea in the sitting room.

All the while, Kira's mind reeled, wondering what exactly was that Uchiha's problem. If he was as weird as he acted, than perhaps the gods had answered her prayers and set Hikaru up with someone as uninteresting as herself. She snickered at the thought, causing her mother that was seated right beside her to raise her brow and her sister to the left to give a light groan of misery.

Mikoto gave a little embarrassed smile. "You girls must be bored. Again, I do apologize for Itachi's behavior…"

But Hika grinned, jumping to her feet and snatching her sister's wrist. "Uchiha-san! If you don't mind, Kira and I will find a way to push ole Itachi-san over!" A challenge, Kira supposed. The proposal piqued her interest and she caught herself shifting from foot to foot eagerly.

Mikoto smiled and laughed lightly in return although the girls' mother sent them a threatening look. Mikoto waved them off with a, "_go right ahead_," before Hika dragged her sister down the hall where the young boy had disappeared.

As they rounded the corner, Hikaru freed her sister, glowering at her as they searched for the boy. "You know," she began, "if you hadn't been here, Itachi-san would have eagerly accepted his mother's request…"

Kira snorted at that, almost regretting agreeing to the conquest in the first place. "Your stupid words only validate the point I made before."

Hikaru halted on the verge of a fit of rage."Eh?!"

Kira carried on, glancing over her shoulder towards her sister in annoyance. "You're just a stupid chihuahua that knows nothing."

Just as Hika was about to bite back, a paper door beside them slid open to reveal the obviously peeved face of the young Uchiha. His gaze wavered between the two girls, irritation clear in his manner.

Yet, Hikaru refused to allow a moment to pass and seized the opportunity. She stepped before Kira, blocking her completely from the boy's view. "Oh, Itachi-kun, are you sure you don't want to show me around? It is expected of us to be seen together, you know…" She batted her lashes and bit sweetly at her thumb.

A moment passed and it appeared as if he were thinking over possible excuses to feed to the maroon-haired girl before him, eyes closed in deep concentration. However, the boy's head lolled to his shoulder with a defeated sigh. He muttered, "_this way_," quietly sliding the door shut behind him before heading back down the hall towards the front door, slipping into his zori.

Hikaru lit up with joy before snapping towards her little sister, her aura full of spite. "Don't you ruin things, Kirameki," she threatened, "or I'll ruin you."

Kira had only wanted to get the boy to agree to take them on a tour. She had figured it would take more effort than Hikaru's attempt at flirting. So, Kira snorted in reply, waving her sister off with no more interest in the venture. "Whatever. Go on ahead; I'll stay here and out of your way."

Hikaru glowered briefly before turning—at which Kira muttered under her breath, "_stupid chihuahua_…"—to catch up to Itachi who waited peevishly for her at the door. He glanced back at the younger Tottori as if expecting her to follow. Their eyes met fleetingly, before Hikaru's hold on his hand caught his attention at which he lead her out the door and closed it behind Hikaru and himself.

_What's with him_, Kira wondered, shrugging before she decided to explore the remainder of the home. She continued down the hall, pausing when a low babble coming from the room that Itachi had come from. She turned—and there it was again—and she squealed lightly with glee before scurrying inside.

Within the room, she found a crib with a plump, raven-haired baby reaching up at the empty air, fat fists clenching at it innocently. Kira peered between the bars at the infant, smiling greatly as his dark eyes fell upon her. She cooed, sticking her hand in for him to clasp.

"You are the sweetest thing I have ever seen!" she excitedly whispered. "Why would they put you behind bars? Who would you ever hurt? Who would ever hurt you?" He held onto her index finger and she held back another squeal. "I will never, ever, ever, let someone hurt you! You're too cute!"

The baby stared at her before erupting into tears, wailing deafeningly and thrashing his little legs about as much as he could. Kira panicked, wondering what she could have possibly done to upset the infant just as Mikoto hurried in. She smiled down at Kira before scooping her baby up into her arms.

"I-I-I didn't mean t-to—!" Mikoto chuckled at the stammering young girl who wrung at the hem of her skirt guiltily.

"You're fine, Kirameki," she hushed her kindly. "He's just hungry; you didn't do anything wrong." At that, she lowered herself into a rocker and placed her child to the open slit of her blouse, proceeding to nurse him.

Kira kneeled before Mikoto, staring at the baby's face lovingly. "How old is he? What's his name?" she questioned, her gaze never faltering from the sweet, plump one of the infant's.

Mikoto pulls the baby away from her breast, wiping dry her tit and the baby's lips and cheeks. She smiled again to Kira as she placed the baby across her lap, preparing to burp him. "He's only about a year old," she said, patting the child's back lightly, "And his name is Sasuke."

"Sasuke…" Kira murmured, holding her fingers out for the child to take hold of. He did, and she beamed, turning to Mikoto with a wide smile. "I love him! Even though I don't know him yet, I love him, and I promise I will always take care of him!" She flushed with embarrassment then, wondering if her outburst would come off impolite. "Only if that's alright with you, Uchiha-san?"

The woman laughed, ruffling the young girl's hair before taking Sasuke up into her arms, kissing him lightly, before returning him to his crib to sleep. She turned to Kira then and said, "Mikoto. And I would be forever grateful if you kept your word, Kirameki-chan."

Kira nodded enthusiastically. "And it's Kira, Mikoto-san!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, just for some clarification, the age difference between Sasuke and Itachi is 5 years but for writing purposes, I have extended it to 6. Also, I have postponed the Uchiha Massacre three years so that rather than being 13, Itachi is 16 when it occurs. Please, let's not debate about the plausibility of whether or not a 13 year old could perform this task. Also, please please please, give me some feedback! I really would like to see what areas I need to work on and so forth. I don't intend to stop writing if I don't get reviews, but if you're not enjoying my writing style or something of the sort, I'd like to know! Thank you so much for reading,

EC


	2. Chapter 2

Months had passed by since that first visit to the Uchiha compound. They occurred very much the same, day after day, with the parents discussing topics that didn't interest neither Kira nor Hikaru. Itachi had seemed to warm up to Hikaru, or perhaps found it easier to simply agree to whatever plans she had in store for the day, plans that tended to leave out the younger Tottori. But Kira didn't mind. She actually preferred this set up; it gave her plenty of time to go on adventures, exploring the compound on her own. Besides, Itachi's stare was bearable but still rather unsettling for the young girl and if she could avoid it, she would.

Despite the bad blood between the two clans, Kira was never treated disrespectfully as she wandered through the compound. In fact, she was adored by Uruchi who often invited the girl to her bakery, trading off assistance for sweets. And for the most part, she had made acquaintances with the Uchihas of her generation, most notably Shisui.

Kira was quite fond of this Uchiha, admiring his abilities as a shinobi. She found herself developing an easy infatuation with him, just as she had for the baby Sasuke. However, it didn't take long for her to realize that the feeling was hardly mutual.

Shisui on many occasions teased the young girl, claiming that he would love her if she could complete impossible tasks. Nevertheless, Kira strove to accomplish them to the best of her abilities with the tendency to fail miserably at which would send Shisui and his companions roaring with laughter. After realizing her efforts were pointless, Kira found herself returning to her normal routine, avoiding Shisui like a plague.

But on this day, as Kira wandered the streets with a half-eaten cake lolly in hand, she happened upon familiar bodies, their attentions directed to a certain show-off. Kira had made to spin around and avoid the trio altogether but to her dismay, she was forced to come to a halt when a, _"yo!"_ called after her.

She flinched, turning back towards the others to find a glowering Hikaru, an indifferent Itachi, and a grinning Shisui. He gave a wave and said in a playing at innocent way, "Long time, no see, Kuriketto-chan!"

Kira sent him a quick glare, choosing to blatantly ignore the pet name the boy had donned her with after claiming that she chirped so irritably like the cricket he referred to her as. Instead, she directed her attention to her sister and Itachi, asking what their plans were for the day.

Hikaru latched onto Itachi's arm, batting her lashes lovingly up at the boy. "Itachi-kun's taking to me to the fields outside the compound! Shisui here said that the wildflowers have bloomed and makes for a _romantic_ getaway!"

Shisui slung an arm across Kira's shoulder, an action that made the girl tense up peevishly. "Hey, here's an idea!" His grin grew and Itachi sighed, shaking his head knowing full and well that his best friend was only up to mischief. "Kuriketto-chan and I will join you two! It'll be like a double-date, eh?!"

"No!" The sisters snapped in unison. Hikaru would not have a day with Itachi wasted on Shisui's antics and Kira's temper. But well aware that her sister would be miserable in the presence of herself and Shisui, Kira chose that if being tormented by Shisui for one more day meant ruining that of her sister's, it would probably be a fair trade. And besides, she had explored just about all there was to see within the compound of the Uchiha's as well as her own. It was time for her to see what rested between the two, the parts of the village she rarely got to see.

"On second thought, I'm in," she said, grinning at her infuriated sister. And with no urge to fight in front of the Uchihas, Hika breathed a small groan and presented no argument.

Once in the field, Hikaru lead Itachi away from the others, insisting that he tell her about things that she neither understood nor did Shisui or Kira care to hear about. Kira's plan to bother her sister for the day was so easily taken from her, and now left with Shisui, her ill-temperament had settled in. She walked deeper through the field of flowers and grass, where it tickled at her thighs and the blooms slowly rose above her head. Shisui followed behind her, hands kept in his pockets leisurely as he whistled to himself. Kira glanced back at him, wondering why he bothered to follow her, and he flashed her a crooked grin. She rolled her eyes and humphed in defiance, turning her attention back to the sea of blossoms before her. She stopped, content with the current space and began to pluck at flowers, intent on creating bouquets for Uruchi, Mikoto, her mother, and even baby Sasuke.

Shisui watched her in mild amusement before he chose to speak to her. "Kuriketto-chan," he said, a tug at the corner of his lips, "I haven't seen you as much as I used to?"

Having sensed his smirk and the slight inclination of teasing in his tone, Kira merely huffed in response. Shisui only grinned wider, forcing Kira to set down the picked stems and turn the full heat of her glare towards him. "You know, Uchiha-san, you are perhaps an even _stupider _chihuahua than my own sister."

And Shisui roared in laughter before abruptly stating, "I like you Kira, and I like you a lot!"

A different sort of heat rose to Kira's cheeks but her scowl persisted. She had no smart retort back so she chose to return to the flowers just as Shisui started whistling once more. The young girl would glance back every so often, causing the boys grin to widen little by little each time that he caught her. Finally, he laughed and in a quick motion, he brushed back the bangs on the side of her face and planted a swift kiss on the girl's rosy cheek.

She shrieked, shoving him away as she scrambled to her feet. The action only made Shisui fall into laughter. Kira was quick to put a stop to his merriment by demanding furiously, "Leave me alone, Shisui!" He tilted his head to the side faking innocence though the grin said otherwise. "I'm not a rag doll that you can simply toy with when you choose!"

"But Kuriketto-chan," he cooed, "you _are_ a doll; you're _my_ doll, _my little cricket_, don't you see? I only toy with you because I love your silly reactions!"

But before Kira could snap back at piece of her mind, in an instant, Shisui's hand had clamped over her mouth, his dangerously narrowed eyes silently warning her to not make a sound. The stalks began to rustle quietly, perhaps shaken softly by the breeze. But the air was thick, and the soon-to-be chunin could sense that something was not right. A moment passed and Shisui slowly removed his hold on Kira, put motioned for her to remain quiet. He instructed her to get on his back and he flitted through the field, heading back, Kira presumed, to where they had separated from the others. As the stalks cleared away and with her sister and Itachi in clear view, Shisui slowed and Kira slid from his back.

She began to stomp away. "Typical! You're just up to your shenanigans again!" Her exclamations caught the other's attention and they slowly made way to them. "Well, I don't want any part on it, got it?! I'm-!" She was silence by a buzz that whizzed dangerously close past her ear.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Kira spun around to find that three kunai had missed her by a margin of mere inches, deflected at the last second by Itachi, a kunai of his own in hand. Kira barely heard Shisui's order to watch out and he snapped her out of yet another onslaught of kunai knives that seemed to be coming from nowhere. Hikaru shrieked as Itachi took her wrist and appeared beside Shisui and Kira, looking to the elder for orders.

"This way!" he said, taking a hold of Kira and leading Itachi towards the shield of the towering flowers. From within the blooming forest, weapons flew past them, narrowly missing the children's flesh. Hikaru began crying hysterically, fearing the worst for herself and her companions. Shisui hissed at her, "Stop being such a baby and channel your energy to your legs instead of your crying!"

Kira stumbled and was stopped from glancing back at just what caused her to stumble by Shisui's pulling at her to keep her moving and Itachi grabbing at her free arm, righting her and blocking her view from the source. She glanced at his face and he put his hand on the space between her shoulders, urging her to run faster before he reached into his pocket for a knife and deflected another attack.

They finally manage to break through to the other side of the field where it opened up to a clay street, lined with the police squad. The sudden appearance surprised the onlookers and forcing their way past the confused officers were none other than Mikoto and Saika. The mother's swept their children into their arms, worried tears falling from their eyes. Shisui headed to Fugaku to whom he reported what he had witnessed just moments before.

As Saika turned her attention to calm the hysterical Hikaru, Shisui heads back to Kira who sported a confused look. He smiled softly at her in an attempt to calm her nerves, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "You were pretty brave out there, huh, Kuriketto?" He chuckled lightly. "Heh, you didn't cry once! Not like your sister had."

At that, Kira nods her head once before breaking into tears, flinging her arms around Shisui for comfort. He grinned down at her, shaking his head in disbelief before returning the embrace. He sensed a certain pair of eyes on him and he glanced up to find Itachi staring at the scene. Itachi sighed and shook his head as if in disapproval, and Shisui smirked, seeing through the guise.

From the very start, Shisui and Itachi had been best friends but above all, the closest of rivals.


	3. Chapter 3

Kira shuffled uncomfortably in her formal kimono, tugging at the side of the silky garment in hopes of loosening the death-grip it had on her frame. Her aunt slapped her hand away, insisting that she stop squirming so much or they'd have to fix her up all over again, a task they simply had no time for. She shot a look at Kira's hair and "_tsked_" with a shake of her head. They had manage to tie up the burgundy hair with four jade hair sticks, but the locks defiantly flipped about in a messy display. Defeated, the women turned to simply adorning the girl's hair with an eclectic array of hair ornaments and left it at that.

The elder handed Kira a bouquet of violet orchids before scurrying over to another young Tottori girl. Kira sighed, eager to get out of the garb and back into the training fields to prepare for her exit exam. Six years had passed since the incident in the flower field. It was because of that occurrence that she chose to walk the path of the shinobi; she would be able to fend for herself and more over-she squeezed at the stems of the flowers in her hold-she would _never_ again be a damsel in distress.

The women's waiting room went into a sudden frenzy as two of the shrine maidens entered, preparing to usher them in to their seats. Kira, along with a few of the other Tottori girl's around her age, made way to the front, with an elegant Hikaru at the lead. She was extravagantly made up, her white kimono contrasting marvelously against her mauve hair, curled at the ends and cascading down her back and over her shoulders. Her face rivaled that of a porcelain doll's, flawless and airbrushed to perfection. But she wore a scowl as her sister rested a hand on her shoulder, her forehead scrunching with the look.

"Hika," Kira grinned, giving her sister a light squeeze, "I wish you so much happiness with Itachi-san, I do. You're going to make our clan so proud, onee-chan."

The corners of Hikaru's lips turned up with a grim smirk. "I didn't ask for this, you know, Kira," she said, "But I'm doing it for the greater good. _Someone_ has to do it and frankly, its a good thing I was chosen for if it was _you,"_ she sneered at her sister with an intensity that Kira had never witnessed before, "our clan would be signing_ death warrants_ rather than treaties, holding our heads low in shame." With that, she directed her attention to the shrine maiden who began to lead the concession down to the shrine where the ceremony would be held.

Kira was rooted in her spot, appalled, as her cousins nudged at her, urging her to follow the concession. They chose to shrug past the unflinching girl who continued to stand with mouth ajar in pure disbelief. Kira would never understand her sister's hostility or what exactly had brought it about. They had once been so close, cliched best friends born sisters. Yet once the whole Uchiha affair was introduced, the elder Tottori's temperament turned ever more bitter with each passing year. Their bond suffered, turning from what once was a sisterly relationship to one of fierce sibling rivalry with a result in a smug Hikaru and a hot-blooded Kira. They couldn't stand each other for much longer, and Kira half-wondered if her relationship with her sister had also effected the one between their parents and themselves as well.

Her head hung lowly, now alone in the once bustling dressing room. Her family was once so noble, the true source of pride within the Tottori clan. And at their present state, they were looked upon as the head family who desperately needed to gain a foothold to remain in power. The source? Marrying into a noble clan and redeeming their status by relying on that of the other's. It was fool proof, and beneficial for both clans. The Tottori regained their position in power and the Uchiha gained an ally, stolen from the hold of Hyuuga clan.

Kira scoffed, harshly discarding the elaborate bouquet into a corner of the room before marching to the vanity and glaring at her reflection. She slammed her palms on the surface, scrutinizing every detail of her face as if trying to point out the imperfection of the Tottori scrawled out across the span of her forehead and cheekbones. She bore the trademark features of her clan: locks in shades of vermilion and mauve, round emerald orbs, and a chiseled facial structure despite the roundness of youth that still clung to her cheeks. She was painfully Tottori and she growled at this, defiantly tearing out the ornaments from her hair and releasing the untamed mane from its hold.

There. That was what differentiated herself from her clan. While they were all so seemingly poised, she rebelled and was improper. She wasn't one to disrespect her elders, yet she wasn't so far to bite her tongue. She spoke her mind with no restraint and she was as wild as the locks contorting this way and that over her shoulders. She smirked then, tearing at the obi around her waist and throwing off her kimono until she was in nothing but her undergarments. So what if she bore the horrid last name Tottori? The fact of the matter is that she isn't Tottori. She was Kira. And Kira would not be defined by anyone's-not the Tottori, Uchiha, Hyuuga, or _any_ noble family's-standards but her own.

So she dressed in the clothing she arrived in and fled from the waiting room in the opposite direction of the shrine.


	4. Chapter 4

Although the streets were congested with vendors setting up their booths, and maintenance supervising and assisting with the more difficult labor, Sasuke's attention remained on the excitement coming from meeting the Hokage for the first time earlier that day. He skipped in front of Kira, walking backwards as he gushed over everything he had learned from the great Sarutobi and how he was even _complimented_ by him when he displayed his developing nin techniques.

Kira laughed at his enthusiasm before reaching into her leg pouch and handing him a kunai. "Oh yeah?" she said, a challenge forming in her tone. "If the Hokage thinks you're so awesome, let's put that money where your mouth is!" She grabbed a kunai of her own then and turned to one of the game booths. The vendor had his back turned as he was decorating the front with a banner. Behind him, there were three targets and Kira winked at Sasuke before shooting the kunai straight towards one. She made it right on the edge of the bulls eye, an action that sent Sasuke roaring into laughter at the now to-be jounin. The rosy hue flushed Kira's cheeks as she snapped at the amused boy. "Stop barking, chihuahua! Let's see if you can do any better!" Still glowing from his Hokage-induced thrill, Sasuke confidently shot the kunai towards the targets, however, managing to completely miss them altogether. Instead, the kunai embedded itself mere inches from the vendor's hand. He then snapped his attention back towards the duo, a wave of heat surging from within his body.

"_YOU_-!" The man was seething, his banner crumbling in his tightening hold on it.

_"Were about to leave, huh, Kuriketto-chan?~"_

The whisper in her ear startled Kira, yet again sending another Uchiha laughing. Shisui patted her back quickly in a silent order before scooping Sasuke over his shoulder and flitting away, just as the furious vendor snatched up the kunai and went to throw it in the direction the children were moments before. When he found that they had vanished, he hollered in frustration before tearing the banner from his stall altogether and storming off.

Now a safe distance away, the trio fell into laughter at the event. "You need to work on your aim, kid!" Shisui teased as he gave Sasuke a light flick to the side of his head. He turned his attention to Kira then, smirking. "And you too! How you managed to pass the chunin exam is beyond me!" Kira glowered for a moment before noticing Shisui's attire.

"Shouldn't you be on a mission, Shisui-kun?" He was wearing his ANBU uniform, his mask hanging loosely from around his neck.

He grinned, boasting of his early assignment completion. "I was actually on my way to the Hokage's office when I saw you two morons disturbing the peace."

Kira opened her mouth to retort only to be cut off by an ecstatic Sasuke. "You're gonna report your mission now, right?" Shisui nods once, taken aback by the kid's glee. Sasuke latched onto his leg then, pleading that Shisui allow him to come so that he could see Hokage-sama again. Shisui glanced at Kira as if for permission to steal away and spoil her favorite Uchiha.

"Go ahead; Hikaru is visiting the manor today and my mother insisted I spend time with her." Sasuke cheered, skipping ahead of them as they made their way towards the direction of the Hokage's office.

Initially, the mention of the elder sister caused Shisui's expression to sour but slowly piqued his interest. "Eh, I have a proposal for you," he said, slinging his arm lazily around her shoulder. "Tanabata is tonight; we should go to the festival—you, me, Itachi, and Hikaru—all together, like we used to." Sasuke piped in, adding a, _"don't forget about me!"_ at which Shisui shot him a look. He turned back to Kira for an answer.

She pondered for a moment. Hikaru had been feeling ill lately. For that reason, Mikoto-san had sent her home to her mother in hopes of some family remedies to aid her back to health. However, Kira knew her sister well enough to know that she probably had been locking herself away in a bedroom with the contagion rather than seeking fresh air. A night out and about would probably do the trick. And her mother would only bother her if her daughters weren't seen out celebrating and promoting the Tottori's name with pride. So she sighed and agreed to Shisui's proposal, much to his delight, before he gave her a swift peck on the cheek and parted ways. She shook her head in disbelief of his ongoing antics before a small smile ghosted on her face and she made her way towards her home.

Just as Kira suspected, her mother was all too eager—if not the least bit surprised—at her proposal to attend the Tanabata festival in town with her sister. Hikaru wasted no time to object only to be shushed by Saika, agreeing that the fresh air and merriment would do the girl some good. Hikaru sulked in response as the Tottori woman dashed off, muttering eagerly about finding something for the girls to wear that evening. Now left alone with her sister, Kira chose to sit at the side of Hikaru's bed, unconsciously scrutinizing the changes in her sister's appearance. She had noticed that her doll-like porcelain skin now had a slight color in it, although it was hardly a bronze but more of a buttery color. Her hair was braided into two dry plaits, the pigment not quite as loud as Kira had remembered. There were multiple little differences—a dullness here, an unwanted color there—that had Kira staring at her sister as though she were someone else altogether. Even the pride the girl so haughtily exuded seemed just as muted as the emerald eyes that narrowed at her in annoyance.

"What?" Hikaru snapped before coughing harshly into her handkerchief.

"You look…quite sick, Hika," Kira said simply.

Hikaru scoffed, opening her mouth to, as Kira suspected, shoot back some sassy retort only to set off another onslaught of coughs. Saika rushed in then with a housekeeper carrying a pitcher of water. She shooed Kira off, chiding her for tormenting her poorly sister before advising her to prepare herself for the festival while they worked on fixing up the young Uchiha wife.

Kira did so, wondering if maybe Hikaru was a bit _too_ ill to be wandering around the village at night.

She hadn't seen the deep red specks across the white cloth pressed against her sister's lips.


	5. Chapter 5

Any opportunity to boast the clan's name was never meant to be taken for granted. This was something made very clear to Saika at a tender age. Those of noble blood were expected to be seen at popular village events and the Tanabata was no exception for these families. Members of every proud clan would represent their respective kin in the highest regards and Saika made sure that her daughters—despite the fact that Hikaru was now Uchiha—wore nothing but the finest yukatas to the festival. She expected her youngest daughter to protest to no end but was surprised when the girl—albeit begrudgingly—complied, having both girls leaving the Tottori manor in pristine condition, kinchakus and elaborately patterned fans in hand. But Saika knew better and suspected Kirameki to have some sort of antic waiting to be pulled. Yet the girl's only shenanigans rested in her absolute refusal to have her hair touched up, the vibrant locks jutting out in every which way from the lengthy pony tail positioned high on the back of her head. So, as Saika watched as her daughters rounded the corner out of the manor's gates, she sighed as a wave of great relief rolled over her, reassured that the night would end with the Tottori's name known quite well as it once had across Konoha.

Once she was sure they were out of view, Kira tore the obi about her loose and took a dramatic gulp of air. Hikaru held back the roll her eyes were sure to make and instead arched a brow, trying to decipher just what her sister's next move would be. Kira noticed her staring and grinned cheekily, but said nothing more as she proceeded to strip.

Hikaru flushed with embarrassment. "Kirameki!" She held her arms out wide as though the lengthy sleeves of the yukata would shield her brazen sister. Her head snapped in either direction of the road, hoping that there were no passers to witness Kira's shaming of the Tottori name. "Someone will see!"

"And what's the matter? I'm not nude, you chihuahua," Kira laughed. Hikaru scowled as she found her sister—as she stated—_not_ bare but rather dressed in the all black spandex attire she had the tendency to wear beneath her day to day shinobi gear. The yukata their mother so adamantly adored was strewn across the clay path, already soiled with red streaks and alongside it rested the geta, fan, and kinchaku.

"What are you getting at?" Hikaru cautioned. She suspected her sister to have some trick at her disposal for the evening—that much was to be expected. However, the real danger was in the mystery in just what that antic was.

Kira winked towards her elder (an action, of course, that had the scowl on Hikaru's face deepen) as she held her hands before her in what Hikaru could only guess was a hand symbol. "Ha!" And the loose articles before the Tottori were engulfed in a cloud of smoke. Kira wafted it away before collecting the lightly dusted white tunic, zori, hitai-ate, and flak jacket. She slipped into the clothing after shaking out the red clay that had lightly marred the items. All the while, Hikaru glowered until she could no longer contain herself.

"Is your self-pride more important to you than that of the clan's?!" she hollered in disbelief.

Kira blinked owlishly as she tied the hitai-ate firmly to her forehead. "Self-pride?" She smoothed out the front of the tunic before brushing her bangs to their respective parts. "I have pride in my village, sister. Pride in something greater than our clan alone, something that our clan is part of. What's so vile about that?"

The way she said it so simply had taken Hikaru aback for a moment but the frown remained. She never considered it that way but then again, she never really had the opportunity to. Just as the notion of presenting herself as a glorious reflection of her clan was stressed feverishly into Saika's mind, the same pride in their clan had been seared into Hikaru's so that her beliefs were very much akin to those of her mother's. How Kira deterred this mannerism so prevalent in the Tottori clan was beyond her.

She caught her fingers curling into tight fists at what she supposed was anger towards her sister's defiance. But she huffed and let the matter be, signifying they continue on by the way she turned on her heel and marched on down the road. Kira chuckled at her sister's ever present hostility but fell in step with her all the same.

Just as the tips of Hikaru's fingers traced the familiar grooves along the wall that marked the Uchiha manor, two figures stepped out from within the barrier, one waving sporadically as his sight fell upon the approaching girls and the other, relaxed yet wearing this sort of smirk that surely irked both of the Tottoris, even after so many years of witnessing the pull of that Uchiha's lips.

Sasuke immediately took to Kira, lamenting on exactly how he intended the evening to play out. At the mention of his brother, however, Kira realized that said Uchiha was evidently not joining the group at the moment. Hikaru turned to interrogate Shisui, suspecting that—much like her sister—he was not above childish frolics and was sure that he may in part be the reason for her husband's absence.

He waved off her accusations, although the ever present grin on his face twitched with slight satisfaction. "We passed by him on the way back from the Hokage's," he informed, "he was on his way to turn in his report. He said he'd meet up after he's had the chance to make himself 'proper.'" The way Shisui said it made it appear as though, if it were him, he'd go straight from the office to the festival, in ANBU attire and all.

"Well we can't begin the festivities without him!" Shisui and Kira groaned in protest to Hikaru's declaration.

"Hikaru-san is right," Sasuke said granted that he too didn't seem too eager to wait. "We should save all the fun until we're all together!"

Though aversely on Shisui and Kira's parts, they agreed to wait to attend the festival until Itachi was able to join them. For the time being, they made way to a recreational field commonly used for training. Shisui wasn't one to wait even if it was for his own kin, so to make the postponing bearable even to the slightest degree, he challenged Kira to spar with him, just to see where she was at.

Hikaru gave a hefty huff, expecting that the two had planned for this all along. After all, Kira did make it a point to be adorned in her so ardently cherished flak jacket and hitai-ate, even on a night their mother had thought her youngest daughter had succumbed to the needs of the clan.

Kira didn't hesitate to take Shisui up on his offer, despite the fact that he was clearly more experienced than she. His standings were far superior to hers, he being in the ANBU ranking and she, training towards advancement to a jounin position, but that was still a bit off in the future.

Kira readied herself into a fighting stance, her hands twitching anxiously for the start of the fight. Shisui stood opposite of her, completely relaxed by the way he stood slightly slouched with his hands resting in his pockets. She glowered at the ease of his composure at which he flashed a cheeky grin. "Don't worry, Kuriketto-chan!" He winked at her, flustering the Tottori at once. "I'll go easy on ya!"

"START!" Sasuke shouted before erupting into cheers for Kira.

Shisui disappeared right at the call, an action that sent Kira's heart hammering furiously her chest. She could hear the blood throbbing wildly in her ears, racing through her veins deafeningly so that her mind struggled to pick up the presence of Shisui's chakra. Her hands curled around the hold of a kunai as she focused her musings past the initial adrenaline and onto finding Shisui. It all happened within a matter of three seconds…one, when Sasuke announced start…two, when Shisui disappeared…and three, when Kira realized that he had rematerialized behind her, his lips achingly close to the curve of her ear as he whispered, _"got ya.~"_

With speeds almost undetectable by the commoner's eye, she spun around the hand wielding the kunai. Shisui effortlessly evaded the attack, his laughter the only indicator of his presence as he yet again disappeared from view. Kira cursed, taking hold of a kunai in the other hand and turning to yet again fend off Shisui who appeared in a similar fashion to her side. He vanished as the kunais crossed a mere inch away from his chest, and Kira cursed at _"that damn shunshin no jutsu!"_ Again, his chuckles resonated through the battlefield.

He came at her then, meeting her kunais with those of his own. He slashed at her with that incredible speed of his and she found herself struggling immensely to defend herself. His hands moved with such precision, attacking her precisely on the center of her kunais she blocked his blows with. It was true that he was going easy on her; otherwise he would have landed a multitude of blows on her already. And that was infuriating. Why had she agreed to this? It was humiliating, being brought down to scarcely defending herself. She couldn't imagine ever reaching the ranks that he and Itachi so easily waltzed into with this seemingly lack of power and capability.

She felt her chakra fluctuate as she cried out in frustration, managing to shove Shisui away with her kunais. He smirked, pleased with her display of aggravation before he found himself mildly surprised by her sudden speed. She swiped at him viciously, at such a rate that had his smirk curling into a grin akin to that of a father's. But that grin faltered and he quickly took hold of her wrists, spun her around, and restrained her in that way, muttering a low warning in her ear of, _"don't resist."_

"Shisui wins!" Sasuke cheered, quite obviously unable to detect the shift in the atmosphere.

A few meters back, on the red path that led many of the suburban homes in towards the village, were four figures that appeared to be watching the spar with keen eyes. And it was those eyes that had Shisui on alert; they were Hyuugas.

The eldest three were probably around Kira's age, give or take a few years. The other was younger, probably closer to Sasuke's. Their demeanor's were quite serious and uninviting, much like Kira vaguely remembered after meeting them some years before meeting with the Uchihas.

"What can I do you for?" Shisui called, seemingly abandoning the fight altogether and focusing on the threat of a new dispute.

They said nothing at first before the one who appeared to be the leader folded his arms across his chest and bore a sneer that was unlike any of Shisui's—it was simply cold. "We just wanted to see the fight, is all."

But there was an indication in his tone that it was much more than that, and Shisui made that very clear to Kira by the way his hold on her tightened. He released her as he stepped just before her. "Fight's over, nothing to see here," he said, obviously attempting to have them on their way.

But the leader chuckled to his self, commenting, "I suppose that much is true. There really is nothing to an Uchiha brawl, after all." His relatives chuckled at his remark but it was evident that the others were not amused.

"Oy!" At Kira's outburst, Hikaru slapped the palm of her hand to her head. She hoped that with Shisui nearby, he would be able to control her brash sister from making a mockery of both the Tottori and Uchiha clans. Kira shoved Shisui aside and marched right up to the Hyuugas. "What're you yapping about, you stupid chihuahua? Obviously there's _something_ to an Uchiha brawl if you felt the need to sit back and watch!" Hikaru covered her face in her hands, shaking her head in complete disbelief.

The Hyuuga boy seemed slightly startled by the improperness of the Tottori but took not a moment to comment on it. "Ah, and to come to the rescue of the poor Uchiha is none other than a lowly Tottori. That surely is ironic; the story, as I know it, seems to go the other way around."

"Lowly Tottor—!" Her arm was raised as though she meant to backhand the insolent boy but her wrist was caught at once and she was pulled away from the Hyuugas, restrained yet again in the shadow of another figure.

"I'm not entirely sure how this confrontation arose, but surely as a gentleman of the noble Hyuuga clan, you should know better than to speak to any lady—albeit, an outspoken and brass lady—in such a vulgar way." The cool and collected manner in which Itachi spoke left no room for objection; his word was law. "I won't suggest that you apologize—I know this girl all too well to know that she is at fault, in part—however, I will say that in the future, should you insult anyone in my beloved family, there will be a hefty price your clan will have to pay for us 'poor Uchiha' and 'lowly Tottoris.'" Though he bore a soft smile, his eyes flashed menacingly in implication that the warning was not to be overlooked. "Is that understood?"

They glowered but the leader reluctantly muttered a, _"yes."_ Itachi then bowed briefly and the leader returned it before he and his family members continued on their way towards the village festival. Once they were out of hearing range, Sasuke and Hikaru cheered, raving over how "cool" Itachi was. He sighed, shaking his head at their reactions before he turned to the girl still in his hold. She seemed to be smoldering still, irritation evident on her pout. It seemed contagious because he returned the feeling with a look of equal annoyance.

"I didn't need you to save me," she muttered.

"I wasn't _trying_ to save you," Itachi snapped, flicking her wrist from his hold. "You alone will be the downfall of the Tottori clan, Kira, and I will not have you marring the Uchiha name alongside it."

Before she can retort, Shisui intervenes, stepping between the two with an uneasy chuckle. "Look, all is well, yeah? Let's just get on to the festival!"

Sasuke cheered, taking hold of his brother's hand and urging everyone else onward. But as Itachi crossed in front of Kira and their eyes met for that fleeting moment, Kira swore she never detested someone as passionately as she did Uchiha Itachi.


	6. Chapter 6

The cool of the evening settled in but all was lively at the festival. The streets were packed with eager vendors and people of every age taking in spirits and enjoying all of the merriments. Even Kira, who was still sour from the altercation earlier, couldn't help but be overcome by the surge of pleasure that seemed to be injected into her the moment the sun fell beyond the horizon and the music and joy grew all too hard to resist.

They tasted numerous treats from every known cuisine and tested their skills at games that seemed to surely be rigged. Their lives had been consumed with missions, or studying, or even being immensely proper, that when they had the opportunity to diverge from the norm, it was an incredible journey. But it shouldn't have come as such a surprise when their harsh realities reared in.

For Kira, it happened in the middle of a balloon darts game when she heard her sister erupt in a harsh fit of coughing. Hikaru insisted she was fine as she drew a handkerchief from her kinchaku and patted her lips dry. But Kira was suspicious that there was something more to this sickness than her sister or even mother had let on. As Hikaru drew her hand away from her mouth, Kira snatched at her wrist and revealed the blood speckled cloth. Luckily, the boys had turned their attention on the game rather than the sister's dispute and Kira took this opportunity to take her sister away so that they could discuss the matter alone.

"We'll be back," Kira said as she held firmly onto her sister's wrist. It was no surprise that the boys found it odd that the sisters would wander off on their own. Shisui was the one to make his curiosity evident by the skeptical arch of his brow. "We're going to the bathroom." And a nodding of heads and "oh"s sounded as the girls made to depart.

Kira dragged her sister into an alleyway far enough from the festivities where there shouldn't be interference but still close enough that if the boys went looking for them, they could say they had been shopping at the booths near the restrooms. She took the marred cloth from her sister's hand before releasing her and shaking the incriminating thing in her face.

"Explain, Hika," she demanded, arms folded across her chest to make it clear that this was no game.

Hikaru wore a defiant look but shuffled uncomfortably nonetheless. "I'm ill, you know that."

The way she answered so dismissively only further agitated the younger sister. "Yes, I do know that! But what I want to know is why mother thinks that this—," she shook the handkerchief irritably, "is ok? That you are fine and able to be running around Konoha at night while something is clearly wrong with you!"

Hikaru snatched the handkerchief viciously from her sister and shoved it into her kinchaku. "There is _nothing_ wrong with me," she snapped, "I'm ill and you _know_ that!"

"What I know, Hikaru, is that something is not right! Something is obviously wrong! There is no reason for someone who is simply ill person to be coughing up blood! How is that nothing, Hikaru, please explain that to me!"

Hikaru opened her mouth to retort but was cut short when there was a familiar chuckle sounded through the length of the alley. Kira caught her fingers curling in tightly balled fists, and even Hikaru seemed particularly wary of the presence before the two sisters.

The Hyuuga boy seemed relaxed, evident in the way he stood tall with his hands leisurely rested within his pockets. He wore a smile but nothing of his aura exuded warmth. His eyes seemed to dissect them, pick apart every fiber of their beings down to the minutest detail. They were fathomless, unarguably indecipherable and narrowed in a sharp, calculating manner. And that smile. It seemed to shape out the words _predator, danger, predator, alert_ in a hurried, alarming rate though Kira was almost sure that those were not the words the boy spoke, but certainly intended.

She turned to fully take him on, shielding her sister behind her if a fight was to ensue. And he seemed thoroughly amused by the action and he laughed, seemingly attempting to conceal the chuckles behind his hand. And when the faux merriment of delight appeared to have past, his icy gaze glazed over with venom and he became very serious.

"You do not want to find an enemy in me, Tottori," he warned, his voice low and growling.

Kira's hand itched at the holster strapped on her leg. "It's a bit too late for that, don't you think?" Although her voice boasted strength, there was something in her core that quivered at the Hyuuga's words.

He shook his head and _tsked_ under his breath, muttering, "I forfeit any responsibility should anything happen to you." At that, Kira's hand wrapped around the handle of a kunai, her knuckles turning white at the intensity of the clutch. "After all, I did warn you…"

She shot the kunai at him with such force that she had to catch herself from tumbling over her own feet. She ordered her sister to head out of the alley through the other way before she returned her attention to the Hyuuga. She was shocked to find that in that fleeting moment, he had disappeared and her kunai was nowhere to be found. That is, until, she was caught off guard when an arm came around her neck, the hand wielding the weapon she had shot towards the owner just an instant before.

Hikaru screamed, but Kira caught the wrist before the Hyuuga could stab her and shoved it down, allowing herself to propel her body upward and bring her free arm around to elbow the boy in the side of the face. He grabbed her oncoming limb just over her bicep and with great intensity, swung her over his shoulder and flung her back towards where he entered the alleyway not long before. She skid on her back for a moment before her hands caught the ground and propelled her back and up on her feet.

Their mother had hoped for a night the Tottori name would be whispered across the village. She never expected it to play out this way.


End file.
